The present invention relates to a vehicle lighting device in which a lamp lens forms a snow-melting (ice-melting, cloud-proof) structure.
Conventionally, the vehicle lighting device of this type has been known (Patent Document 1, Japanese Laid-open Patent Application No. 2008-52919, for example). Hereinafter, the conventional vehicle lighting device will be described. The conventional vehicle lighting device is provided with: a lamp lens; a wire heater provided by being transferred to the lamp lens; and a power-feeding portion for feeding a power current to the wire heater.
Hereinafter, an effect of the conventional vehicle lighting device will be described. When a power current is fed from the power-feeding portion to the wire heater, the wire heater is heated, and snow, ice, or cloud adhering to the lamp lens is then melted or removed due to a heat from the heater. As a result, a loss of light illuminated from the lamp lens to the outside can be prevented. In particular, this is effective in a vehicle lighting device using a light source which is low at a temperature of light illuminated from the lamp lens in comparison with a halogen bulb or an incandescent bulb, for example, a semiconductor-type light source such as a LED or an electric discharge lamp such as an HID.
The problem to be solved by the invention is to improve the conventional vehicle lighting device described previously.